Seqwater has begun works to complete a valve replacement project worth $2 million on a major artery of Brisbane’s drinking water supply network to enhance the reliability and resilience of the water supply system.
Queensland Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher, said in May 2023, crews will replace eight 50-year-old valves along two bulk water supply pipelines that draw from Seqwater’s Green Hill Reservoirs near Chapel Hill – one of Brisbane’s biggest water storages.
The Green Hill Reservoirs hold up to 155ML forming a vital part of the SEQ Water Grid, which includes more than 600km of bulk water supply pipelines, that allows Seqwater to move treated drinking water around the region.
“This is a vital section of the South East Queensland Water Grid, carrying more than 300ML or 120 Olympic swimming pools of drinking water every single day,” Mr Butcher said.
“This $2 million investment will extend the life of these key water mains, safeguarding Seqwater’s ability to move our drinking water from where it’s treated at the Mount Crosby water treatment plants, into one of the city’s biggest water storages and on to where it is needed.”
Seqwater Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ross Muir, said Seqwater was working closely with the region’s water services provider, Urban Utilities, to maintain water supply during the works.
“It’s important to us to complete this upgrade with as little disruption to the community as possible,” Mr Muir said.
“We will be carefully coordinating with Urban Utilities throughout the works who will be supplying water from a different part of their network to maintain water supply while the valves are replaced.”
The valve replacements will take place near the water reservoirs at Russell Terrace in Chapel Hill and Cedarleigh Road in Kenmore from 13–22 May 2023.